Protacanthamoeba

Protacanthamoeba is a genus of free-living naked amoebae of the family Acanthamoebidae described in 1981.^[1] It has been found in associations with mycobacteria in drinking water networks, along with other Acanthamoebidae genera, likely allowing the replication of both environmental and pathogenic mycobacteria.^[2]

Protacanthamoeba
P. bohemica trophozoites and cysts
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Clade:	Amorphea
Phylum:	Amoebozoa
Class:	Discosea
Order:	Centramoebida
Family:	Acanthamoebidae
Genus:	Protacanthamoeba Page 1981
Type species
Protacanthamoeba caledonica Page 1972
Species
P. bohemica P. caledonica P. invadens

Morphology

Members of Protacanthamoeba are characterized by having slender, flexible and sometimes furcate subpseudopodia originated from a broad, hyaline lobose pseudopodium, as well as having centrospheres in its interior, including a plaque-shaped centriole-like body. Their cysts lack preformed pores or opercula.^[3]

Taxonomy

Protacanthamoeba contains 3 species:

• Protacanthamoeba bohemica Dyková et al. 2005^[4]
• Protacanthamoeba caledonica Page 1981^[3]
• Protacanthamoeba invadens (Singh & Hanumaiah 1979) Page 1981 (previously Acanthamoeba)^[3]